Crossed Paths
by AnimeDivaGoddess
Summary: This fanfic takes place after the 7th season of Buffy and after Inuyasha kills Naraku. What happens when a new, more powerful demon comes to town? The Scooby Gang and the Inugang team up, that's what! All new Sunnydale demons, BEWARE! lol
1. Prologue

Crossed Paths

Rating: PG-13

Warning: Adult Language; all of it will be censured.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Inuyasha. However, any characters not seen in the Buffy or Inuyasha shows/movies belong to me and only me. I do not get paid for any of my current/future fan fictions and I write solely for the purpose to entertain.

Prologue

Inuyasha looked on with disbelief. The battlefield was bloodstained and windswept. The stench of sweat and rot was just starting to dissipate, but a heavy spiritual presence hung over the air. It covered the demonic aura still polluting the atmosphere.

It was over. It was finally over. They had finally killed Naraku and all of his incarnations. When Inuyasha finally realized that what he saw wasn't part of a dream, he smirked.

"Feh," he thought. "He had it coming and he knew it. I just glad it's over with."

Inuyasha then glanced at his friends. Miroku was looking at his right hand in awe, realizing the wind tunnel in his hand was gone. There had been a bright flash of light after Naraku disappeared and a loud sucking noise as the void closed up. After the sharp pain pierced his hand, Miroku dared a glance at it to find a healthy normal palm. InuYasha laughed under his breath as the priest gawked, his jaw repeatedly dropping and shutting without sound.

Shippo was happily celebrating; jumping up in the air, laughing, his friend Kirara merrily cuddling up in his arms. Sango watched the two youngest members of the group with a smile on her face. The smile immediately slipped off her face when the kitsune turned into a mirror image of her and proceeded to make sucking noises at her, gesturing to her still-stunned fiancé. Now the the half-demon was dead, their was nothing stopping them from getting married. Embarrassed, Sango launched herself at the child, who ducked and ran off, his bushy tail bobbing behind him. The demon cat sat and watched the two with a tilted head, amusement gleaming in her eyes.

Then, InuYasha's gaze turned to Kagome, who was currently purifying the Shikon Jewel. A small frown took his grin's place. Inuyasha knew that she wouldn't be able to come back to the Feudal era after this. That was the only part that sucked.

He turned his gaze to his half-brother and his frown deepened. He knew that he owed Sesshomaru big time for lending a helping hand. One could say that that part sucked royally, too.

"At least he won't fight me anymore. Kagome and Rin both made us swear not to fight each other at all from now on," Inuyasha reminded himself.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru said, bringing Inuyasha out of his thoughts.

"What!" Inuyasha shot at his half-brother with his usual attitude.

"Now that Naraku is dead, what else is there to do? Do we go our separate ways?"

Those questions stumped Inuyasha. Before he could reply, Kagome answered for him.

"We make a wish on the Jewel I guess," she offered.

Inuyasha stared at her, dumbstruck. She new that once the Shikon Jewel was gone, she wouldn't be able to come back, and yet she insisted on it anyway? Did that mean she didn't _want _to come back?

"We don't need the use of that Jewel," Sesshomaru replied, making that decision for his group. At this point, Jaken looked up in horror at his master, but didn't dare speak a word.

"Neither do we," agreed Sango, Miroku, and Shippo in unison. Kirara also nodded her head.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, expecting an answer. "Feh. I don't want to become a full demon anymore, if that's what you're thinking," he answered.

Kagome's eyes widened. The was a surprise. Up until this morning, he was still contemplating the possibility of having twice the power he had now, though he no longer needed it. The others had left him alone with his thoughts; he'd needed to make that decision on his own.

"I guess you're the only one left to make a wish," Sango said.

Kagome closed her eyes and thought about what she wanted to wish for. She knew that making a selfish wish would only end in deep trouble for everyone. If InuYasha had still wanted to turn into a full demon, he would've gone crazy and someone would've gotten killed. She didn't want anything like that to happen now that she had something to say about it.

Finally, she opened her eyes and said, "I wish we could all go from the Feudal Era to my time and back again whenever we wanted to," making the rest of the Inu-gang smile.

Apparently, she forgot that another group was still in the vicinity.

A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. I decided to edit all the chapters before I post anything new. Now that my writing has gotten better with practice, I want to perfect the older chapters first.


	2. Welcome to the Hellmouth

A/N: Those of you who haven't watched **at least** seasons 3-7 of Buffy might not get some of the stuff written in this fanfic, but I'll try to help you through it.

Rating: PG-13

Warning: Adult Language; all of it will be censured.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Inuyasha. However, any characters not seen in the Buffy or Inuyasha shows/movies belong to me and only me. I do not get paid for any of my current/future fan fictions and I write solely for the purpose to entertain.

Chapter One: Welcome to the Hellmouth

**Sunnydale, California**

"Cheers to the new-and-improved Sunnydale!" yelled Xander Harris to his group of friends from high school.

Buffy Summers and Willow Rosenberg exchanged a look. They had both attended Sunnydale High School with Xander. They weren't entirely sure if he was serious or just pulling their legs. If new-and-improved meant empty and isolated, then he was right.

It was two years after the First was destroyed, the Hellmouth and all of Sunnydale along with it. Buffy, Xander, and Willow had lost quite few friends in that battle (some of the Potential Slayers, Anya, and Spike). However, they pulled through enough to rebuild Sunnydale. It took a lot of work filling the giant pit where the previous Sunnydale once stood, then finding a crew of construction workers to help rebuild the town itself. But everything had worked out in the end.

Dawn, Buffy's little sister had gone to live with Angel and Cordelia in Los Angeles while the rebuilding took place, whereas Kennedy, Willow's ex-girlfriend, went home. Tomorrow Dawn was coming home in time for the reopening of Sunnydale.

"Xander, we know that you're excited about the new Sunnydale being finished, but aren't you aware that this is the town that almost killed us, almost turned me evil, and almost became overrun with demons and vampires?" Willow spoke out. Buffy rose her eyebrow at that one. Willow had developed a habit of being even more blunt than usual in the past few months.

'I guess she's still having trouble with Kennedy being gone. I thought she had gotten over her already?'

"That may be so, Will. But now that the Hellmouth is gone, Sunnydale is now as safe as any other place. And The Bronze II makes it just as cool. Along with the other clubs."

The original Bronze had been the only club in previous Sunnydale. It was the place to hang even though it was available to anyone who wanted to hang there, young and old, demonic or human. In an effort to coax the old inhabitants and some new occupants to come back to the small town, the architects and town leaders thought that adding more social mechas would attract the younger thrill-seekers of Northern California.

Suddenly, all three friends were brought out of their thoughts as a loud noise sounded from the club entrance.

"D**N IT, I'M NOT HER BOYFRIEND, SO IF YOU WANT TO DANCE WITH HER, GO HEAD!" a loud voice screamed.

The Scooby Gang turned around to see the newcomers and then exchanged looks of mild amusement and surprise.

This new group seemed strange to say the least, even for Sunnydale!

A/N: Who doesn't love cliffhangers?


	3. Cousin Willow and Cousin Kagome

Thanks for the reviews. I'm going to answer 'em right here, k?

**Hailstar9090**: lol Very funny. You don't need to review 5x. Just show me that you care and I'll update as fast as I can. O.k.? And don't worry. I'll make the B.T.V.S. parts as easy to understand as possible.

**StarfireGreencoon**: Thanks. That type of intro just came to me. Oh and there'll probably be more cliffhangers like that in the other parts of the story.

Now, on with the story!

' ': Thoughts 

" ": Speaking

( ) Or A/N: author notes

**Chapter Two: Cousin Willow and Cousin Kagome**

Kagome led the Inu-gumi and the Sessho-gumi a tall building in a place called Sunnydale. According to Kagome, they were in a 'state' called California, which was in America, which was on the other half of the world. The building was made of freshly scrubbed red brick. A few feet above the entrance was a sign that said (in tall, old-style, bronze letters) The Bronze.

Kagome turned around and regarded everyone in their group with a glance. "Alright everyone. You remember what I told you before, right? We're only here to meet my cousin and her friends," she reminded. Everyone nodded.

_Flashback:_

_"Okay, how were YOU able to travel to my time?" Kagome nearly shrieked as Sessho-maru looked at his newfound surroundings (aka: Modern Tokyo)._

_"You wished on the Shikon no Tama that **all of us** would be able to pass through the well freely. Meaning the wish included Rin, Jaken, Ah-Un, and myself."_

_Confusion spread over Kagome's face when he responded. Then realization hit her. "Oh dear Buddha," she murmured. "Well you have to promise not to harm anyone while you're here, Sessho-maru."_

_'Damn human,' he thought. "Fine then. Come Rin, come Jaken," Sessho-maru concluded, leading Rin and Jaken to Kagome's house._

_"Wow!" Shippo exclaimed, admiring the shrine and the large backyard. Sango was looking intriguingly at the large assortment of Asian flowers along the garden. And Miroku was looking at the small red car that belonged to Kagome's mom at bottom of the shrine steps._

_"Kagome," Inuyasha whispered. "Do you think it's okay to allow Sessho-maru to stay here?"_

_Kagome turned to face him and said "Well, I can't really do anything now. The wish has already been granted. It's over and done with."_

_Inuyasha heaved a huge sigh and growled, "He better not eat off all the Ramen."_

_'No, Inuyasha. I doubt he'll even look at it,' Kagome thought as she herded Sango, Miroku and Shippo into the Shrine-house._

_A Few Hours Later (after they ate Jaken, Sessho-maru and Ah-Un ate some nearby possums (wah!)):_

_"Okay, you guys, in a few days I'll be going to America to visit my cousin Willow in California. You guys can either come with me or stay here. I'll be gone for about a month."_

"_A WHOLE MONTH!" Inuyasha howled. Everyone except Sessho-maru and Jaken had their mouths open in shock._

"_Yes. I accepted this invitation almost a year ago." Kagome continued._

"_Well, in that case, I'm going to," Inuyasha decided._

"_So are we," chimed in Sango, Miroku and Shippo together._

"_I'm curious about this 'America' you are talking about." Sesshomaru said. "I shall accompany you."_

"_If Lord Sessho-maru is going, then so am I," said Rin and Jaken together. Then Jaken glowered at Rin for thinking the same thing as he. Rin was oblivious nonetheless._

_A few days later, they were all on a plane to Sunnydale, California._

_End of Flashback_

"Okay, then here we go."

Kagome then opened the door for the club. The blasting of the music hit them as they walked in. Inside, Evanescence was performing their song "My Last Breath". Dozens of people (ages 15-19) were on the dance floor dancing to the songs sultry, rock tones.

A few seconds later, an incredibly hot 18-year-old guy wearing a pair of blue and black army pants and a white t-shirt came up to Kagome. "Hey, would you like to dance?"

Kagome was so surprised, she looked down at herself. She guessed that in her light blue, silk tank top and brown suede skirt that went up to her knees (with matching boots woot woot) caressing her 17-year-old body, she was a total babe. She then looked up and turned to Inuyasha.

The cute boy followed her gaze and noticed Inuyasha. "I'm sorry man. Is she with you?" he asked.

The hanyou snorted and replied, "No."

"Then is it okay if I dance with her?"

"Go ahead."

"So you're cool with it."

"_Yes._"

Sessho-maru smirked at his half-brother's irritation. Kagome just smiled awkwardly. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Rin and Jaken snuck onto the dance floor. (A/N: Btw, Kagome performed a spell to make Jaken and Shippo look like average 13-year-olds and Rin look like a 12-year-old. Freaky huh?)

"You sure you're okay?" the hot guy persisted.

That was the last straw. "DAMMIT, I'M NOT HER BOYFRIEND, SO IF YOU WANT TO DANCE WITH HER, GO AHEAD!" Inuyasha screamed.

"Alright then," Kagome faintly said before pulling the guy onto the dance floor.

"You know you shouldn't have yelled like that. It drew too much attention to us," Sessho-maru pointed out as he glared at anyone who dared to stare.

"I don't care. He got on my nerves," Inuyasha shot back.

Soon the song ended.

"Hey, Kagome, doesn't that look like your description of your cousin?" Shippo suddenly asked.

The group turned in the direction of the young fox-demon's pointing finger. Kagome's eyes bulged as she recognized the red hair of her American-Jewish cousin talking with her two friends.

"Willow!" Kagome yelled.

The redheaded person turned around when she heard her name being called. Almost instantly, her eyes bulged to rival Kagome's eyes. "Kagome!"

Kagome ran towards Willow and hugged her. Willow returned the hug while Inuyasha, Sessho-maru, and Jaken anime-sweat dropped, growing uninterested at the classic family reunion moment.

Kagome turned around and said, "Guys, this is my cousin, Willow." Willow waved her hand slightly to acknowledge the presence of her cousin's companions. "These are her friends Buffy Summers and Xander Harris."

"What's up?" Buffy and Xander said together.

Sessho-maru stared hard at the new comers. 'The red head has a red aura around her. She holds immense power that was once used for evil. (A/N: He's referring to the end of season 6 when Tara, Willow's girl friend at the time, was shot and she became evil. Although he doesn't know it yet.) However, she is now pure, riddled with good. And the blonde one has power too. Her power must be used for the extermination of demons. She has much strength. I can tell. However the male seems to be an average human. Interesting.'

Miroku, being his usual self, went straight for Willow. "You are so beautiful. Would you do me the honor of bearing my children?" he subtly asked her.

Willow took one glance at Miroku and replied wittingly, "Sorry, I'm taken," to the laugher of Buffy, Xander, Kagome, Sango, Inuyasha, Jaken, Shippo, and Rin. Miroku recovered from the verbal assault almost instantly. He turned to Buffy, who said, "I'm sworn off guys. Try some other girl," which caused another round of laughter at poor Miroku's expense.

'This is going to be an interesting visit to Sunnydale,' thought Kagome.

A/N: OK, so that was my third chapter. You know what to do. Read and review soon please!


	4. How They're Who They Are

Chapter 3: How We're Who We Are

Answers to Reviews:

**Ida: **Don't worry; the characters won't get too OOC. I hate it when they are so OOC that you're like 'OMG, what the hell is she/he doing!' So you don't have to worry.

**Kasutaishi: **Don't worry. He's going to ask her soon. _Very_soon. And this chapter is going to be dedicated to how Kagome and Willow became cousins. Also, Buffy'll fight Sessho-maru many times that much is certain. You'll so love it!

**Hailstar9090: **Yes, I am a girl. Thanks for liking me so much that you'd come out and say that. And yes, I know its Thelma. OG, I love her so much, it makes me want to watch What's New, Scooby Doo!

Okay. On with the story!

_Flashback:_

"_If we intertwine our families, their powers will increase. That's a given," said Kagome's grandpa said to Willow's mother. They leaned over the mini-fence that surrounded Kagome and Willow's playpen._

_"But I don't understand. My child can't be a witch," Willow's mother nearly wailed with terrified distress as she stared at her only child. "She's just a normal kid. She can't have any powers!"_

_"Ah, but appearances can be deceiving," continued Kagome's grandpa._

_"Ok, let's just spin reality for a second and pretend that I believe that Willow has powers," Willow's mom retaliated, thinking it through for a second. "If my mother married you, how would that help Willow's powers?"_

_"Because if she married me, both powers would be interlocked. They'd be able to tap into each others powers even when they aren't near each other," Grandpa Higarashi explained. _


	5. How They're Who They Are pt 2

**How We're Who We Are pt 2**

It's been a while since I last updated, I know. I just had writer's block. Give me a break.

Sessho-Maru: Or I'll give you a break.

Me: Down, boy, down! lol

"…And so they decided that my grandmother would marry Kagome's grandfather," concluded Willow.

Willow was slightly happy. Everyone had listened politely. However, Sessho-Maru kept staring her and at Buffy. It was starting to creep her out.

Before she could open her mouth and say something about it, she heard a voice to her left say, "So, Buffy, you're an intelligible (understandable) girl, right?"

'Poor, poor Miroku,' Willow thought as she shook her head.

"Yeah," Buffy answered, raising her brow.

"Well, than I need to ask," continued the perverted monk. "Will you…bear my children?" To this he added a small rub on the slayer's behind.

Two seconds of shocked and amused silenced followed before Miroku received a large beating on his noggin. By the time Buffy was done, Miroku was lying on the floor, twitching, with a black eye, a busted lip, two cuts on his head, and a huge, swelling bump on his forhead. Enomously loud laughter followed his beating. Sessho-Maru smirked.

'Knew it,'

Xander and Willow rolled their eyes. "I should've warned you guys," Xander said jokingly. "Buffy's a lot stronger than she looks. She's even stronger than the strongest man alive, or so says the Sunnydale Times,"

When everyone turned to Buffy to confirm this, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I been working out."

Suddenly, the sound of Ashlee Simpson's 'Lala' broke everyone's thoughts.

"Hey, anyone want to dance?" Willow asked, cheering up again.

InuYasha, Sango, Kagome, Shippo, Rin, Jaken, Willow and Xander got on the dance floor and started having a good time. Miroku was still writhing on the floor. That left Sessho-Maru and Buffy alone at the table.

"So…Sessho-Maru, was it? What's up?" Buffy asked, hoping to start a conversation.

"I'm well," Sessho-maru countered. "However, there is something I wish to asked you."

"Shoot."

"You…are a slayer, aren't you?"

Oooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh! Cliffhanger! What now, SUCCA! LOL r&r


	6. Slayer Who?

**Chapter 5: Slayer Who?**

A/N: Buffy's character is played by Sara Michelle Gellar Prince Jr. and Willow's character is played by Alyson Hannigan. Just in case you're wondering.

Also, this fic may have a little bit of ramance in it. Not a lot though, so you don't have to worry to much. There will be a little bit of Inu/Kag romance along with Sess/Buffy flirting, but other than that, no romance whatsoever.

Lastly, I know it took me a long ass time to update Glares at and puts away pitchforks that were forcibly removed from angry, impatient reviewers. but I had writer's block-among other crap-so deal with it!

Anyway, now that that's done, on wit da story. (lol )

Sessho-maru: Stop treating me like a damn puppy!

* * *

Sessho-maru smirked slightly at Buffy's horrified expression. So his assumption had been correct. There was no denying it now. If he stayed, there was a slight chance that he would get his ass whooped. _If_ she was strong like he thought she was.

Meanwhile, Buffy thinking loudly, no wait, SHOUTING in her head, "HOW THE HELL DOES HE KNOW? There are HUNDREDS of slayers in the world, and he _has _to go and pick ME out!"

Then, a single, new thought entered her mind and she countered, "You're a demon, aren't you?"

"I am. So are InuYasha, Shippo, and Jaken. But you needn't worry," he calmy and stoicly added, watching Buffy's eyes narrow. "Kagome already knows this. We mean no harm."

Still suspicious and raising an eyebrow, she told Sessho-maru to stay where he was for a moment. She then stalked over to the two cousins.

"Will. Kagome. Could I talk to you guys for a moment?" Buffy calmly asked them, trying desperately to keep her cool til she got outside.

"Sure Buff," came a reassuring reply.

The second the door closed on them, buffy let loose. "When were you going to tell me that Sessho-maru, InuYasha, Shippo, and Jaken are all DEMONS Kagome!"

Willow just gave Buffy an uninterested look and said, "And this is important…how?" When Buffy looked at her with a blank stare, she elaborated. "I knew this the whole time!"

* * *

A/N: Ooooooooooooooooo. Cliffhanger. _Sweet._


	7. Betrayal and Confession From the Witch

A/N: I know what you're all thinking. 'She's going to burn in Hell for making us wait like this!' I know it and I accept it. But, in my defense, I had: writer's bock, nagging friends, bitching bullies, unsupportive teachers, a new class, and an annoying cold THAT KEEPS COMING BACK! Add all of that together at once and you have quite and problem on your hands. At least I'm updating now.

On another note, I've decided that in addition to the San/Mir pairing and the inevitable Inu/Kag romance (though I am a strong supporter of the Sess/Kag pairing), I'm also going to factor in a new couple, Sess/Buff. I think that it will be an interesting experiment. If you have any ideas, please review so I can make this couple work, though I'm only sticking to sarcastic, humorous flirting. I'm not turning it into a full blown romance. It's just for kicks.

Anyway, enough of my mindless blabbering. On with what all of us have been waiting for.

**Crossed Paths Chapter Six**

**Betrayal and Confession From the Witch**

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN THIS ISN'T IMPORTANT? I'M THE DAMN SLAYER! I'M SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THINGS LIKE THIS!" Buffy could hardly breathe after yelling so much. InuYasha even stuck his head outside to see who was causing so much ruckus, but when he realized that it was only Buffy, he rolled his eyes and went back inside. "So loud," he muttered, earning a death glare from The Slayer.

"Well if you'd stop yelling maybe I could elaborate," Willow calmly stated, not wanting to cause a scene. When Buffy started to breathe less heavily, Willow continued. "You didn't have to know because this was all happening in the past in Japan, so if you knew, you wouldn't have been able to do anything in the first place."

"So basically, you would have been stressing for no apparent reason," Kagome added helpfully.

"So what you're saying is you didn't tell me because you thought it would have been pointless for me to do anything at all."

"That and the fact that they weren't hurting me," Kagome answered.

"Then if they weren't going to hurt me, why did Sessho-maru- oh I'm sorry, _Lord _Sessho-maru- want to know that I am one of The Slayers?" Buffy challenged.

"Because he is constantly curious about things he doesn't know much about. That's the reason why we put up with him. If you knew him as long as we have, you'd have thought it was funny, too."

"But how does he know about Slayers, anyway. If you are right about what year they're from, Slayers aren't created until 20 years later. And that's in Africa," Buffy asked, _really _interested now.

This time Willow answered her. "Because in that time, the demons had their own prophets. They were very powerful and could see almost anything within at least a 200,000 year radius."

"Whoa," was all Buffy could muster after that. "Lucky Asses."

"I know," Willow said. "Makes you wish that Giles was that powerful, doesn't it."

"So, Sessho-maru has his own prophet?"

"I don't think so. But they certainly did when his father was alive. He probably sensed your power and figured the prophecy was true," Kagome explained expertly.

"Makes sense." This came from Willow.

"Excuse me ladies, but may I have a word with Buffy," came a deep voice, startling the three girls. They turned to see Sessho-maru leaning against the doorframe.

Willow and Kagome turned to Buffy for an answer. "Go," she said. "I'll be right inside. The cousins turned to each other and shrugged, then went inside and closed the heavy wooden door as the sounds of Madonna's "Sorry" began. Then, The Slayer turned toward the Dog Demon Lord before her. "Hurry up. I'm missing one of my favorite songs."

Sessho-maru raised one of his elegant brows, looking quizzically at Buffy. "I take it that your previous silence proves my assumption is correct?"

"Yes," Buffy said, dripping her words with as much confidence as she could muster. "But if you know that I'm a Slayer, then you must know that Slayers have super-human strength. Which means that if I have to, I could open a can of Whoop Ass on you if you harm even half a hair on anyone's head. I'm not a girl you should trifle with."

"Then if I should feel like harming them, I'll be sure to stay away from their heads," Sessho-maru threw back sarcastically.

Sessho-maru had only a fraction of a second to catch the fist flying at him, but he succeeded with breaking his perfect posture. He then threw the fist back to Buffy, nearly knocking her down in the process. "I'm not one to be trifled with either. We all promised Kagome that we wouldn't cause any trouble before we left, but I could easily break that promise if you be too cocky with me."

"Bite me," was all Buffy muttered back at the demon before she went back inside, relieved that the song hadn't started yet and that she could still dance with Xander and the others.

'No way am I backing down from intimidation,' Buffy thought. She was too stubborn for that. Little did she know that in about two weeks time, she would be both flirting with and fighting along side the Demon Lord. Oh well, let her have her fun for now!


	8. In Which the Games Begin

**Crossed****Paths**

**Chapter Seven In Which the Games Begin**

A/N: SORRRRRRRRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYY! I am such a Bitch Queen for not updating in such a long time. Hope that this chapter will help you cope with the fact that I'm such a jackass. Lol! Luv ya guys.

P.S. I updated These Words Are My Own today!

The whole gang stayed at the Bronze for HOURS. After "Sorry", the DJ played "SOS" by Rihanna, "Move Along" by the All American Rejects, "Spoon" "Sugar Water" by Cibo Matto (the latter of which brought back an embarrassing memory for Xander and Buffy due to Willow's big mouth, even though she meant to embarrass them this time), and an assortment of other popular songs. Oz had dropped by somewhere in between. Which, of course was completely awesome for Willow. Oz and she talked and danced the rest of the night, ½ the time with Buffy and Xander. Then, Oz mentioned that he was performing with his band, Dingoes Ate My Baby, at the Re-opening ceremony, which only accelerated Willow's joy.

The old friends danced the night away, but mostly away from the Feudal gang. Buffy had no doubt that InuYasha, Shippo and (maybe) Jaken meant no harm, but she had her doubts about Sesshomaru. He didn't know it, but Buffy was scared of him out of her mind after her little "talk". Not for herself, of course. But for the people in her life who relied on her to survive.

Even though Sunnydale no longer had a hell mouth underneath it, according to Angel, vampires were still going to come back. With all the old residents back in town, what red-blooded vampire could resist sneaking an unsuspecting teen or child back to their crypt? And when they came back, she had to be ready. That's why she had started her training with Giles again.

But, Buffy had already died twice. That proved that even though she was strong and clever, she was not invincible. And this so called "_Lord _Sesshomaru" looked like he would mind being the 3rd lucky soul to kill her. AND, this time, according to Hades, or as Willow and the other witches call him, Pluto, she could never be revived after that. Sucks, huh?

'I have to watch my back around him,' Buffy thought, dancing to "Walk Away" by Kelly Clarkson. 'He's smarter, stronger and sneakier than I am. The odds are so not in my favor.'

"This 'Bronze II' place is amazing, Buffy!" yelled Sango over the music. "This is the most fun I've had in years."

Buffy at Miroku, who was dancing with Sango, and winked. He returned it with a grin proceeded to grab her bottom, only this time all Sango did was blush (A/N: I know right. What is the world coming to when Sango doesn't smack Miroku! lol). Buffy rolled her eyes.

"You should've been here when it was open we were High School. It was packed every night."

"Oh, really. I highly doubt that people would consider dancing to such childish music. But seeing as how much of America already thinks that Californians are nonsensical, I suppose you've probably heard that before."

Miroku and Sango looked over at the intruder rolled their eyes and went back to dancing. Buffy, however, turned around slowly, more than irritated that her good time had been interrupted by the jackass for a Demon Lord for the second time in a row that night.

"You're right. Too bad that most of them had more backbone than your jibe," Buffy replied, inwardly thinking, 'Nice vocab.'

Sesshomaru glared at the human who dared to insult him. 'You will pay for that, Slayer.'

"Do you need to repeat our conversation from before?" Sesshomaru asked menacingly yet innocently as well, thoroughly pissing off Buffy. By this time, Willow, Xander and InuYasha caught what was going on.

"Don't push you luck, _Lord _Sesshomaru," Buffy threw back through clenched teeth. She also gave Sesshomaru a look that said, "Watch who you're messing' with, Jackass." for good measure. Plain, snappy and simple.

Before Sesshomaru could throw himself at Buffy, he sensed an invisible barrier around the smart-mouthing Slayer. Buffy looked at it apprehensively and then threw a confused look at Willow. Sesshomaru followed her gaze to the Wicca, who was holding her blue-highlighted hand at Buffy, her face set with determined expression.

"That's enough you guys," she said, her hair glowing bright white. She lowered her hand, therefore lowering the barrier. Willow's hair returned to its normal fiery-red color. She then turned to the rest of the group. "I think it's time we went home. It's pretty late."

"Sure. I'll drop you, Buffy, Shippo, Rin, Kagome and InuYasha off at Buffy's house. Xander can drop everyone else in his car.," Oz offered.

"Okay, it's settled. Let's go."

The group returned to their tables and gathered their things. Buffy gave Sesshomaru one last warning look, which he returned with a smug grin. Buffy followed Willow and the others to the door. The girls (except for Sango) and Shippo and InuYasha promptly got into Oz's van, finding it very comfortable.

The bitterness between Buffy and Sesshomaru was stalled for another night.

A/N: There's your chapter. Be happy!


	9. Getting Settled

A/N: Sorry for waiting so long to update. I've been busy with school and final exams . . . and writer's block. FORGIVE ME!! I'll try to update all of my stories soon. For now, enjoy.

Buffy woke up the next morning to the irrepressible bleating of her alarm clock. The night before was a blur, further proof that no one should have to wake up fully before 9:00 a.m. But she had to pick up Dawn from Angel and Cordelia's place today and she had to do other things, too. Not to mention, she also wanted to avoid an I-want-to-stake-him-so-badly encounter with Sesshomaru, at least until a godlier hour.

"I need caffeine," Buffy mumbled as she forced herself to get her butt up and out of bed. After a short shower and a quick brush through her hair, she got out some clothes to wear for the day. Buffy didn't hear anyone in their rooms, so she assumed that they were all downstairs.

'If _he's_ downstairs, I won't touch anything. I'll just go,' Buffy thought to herself as she raced downstairs, not making a sound.

The medium-sized kitchen looked just like it did when Buffy's mother was still alive, just bigger. The island was still there. Everything was just as it was before, where it was before. Now, with all the new inhabitants, it looked like an over-sized modern-art-meats-college-dorm scramble.

And there he was. Sesshomaru was sitting in one of the chairs around the island drinking lemon tea. In Buffy's mug. The one her mom bought her for her last birthday before she died. Buffy's eyes narrowed as tightly as she could make them, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to start something so early, so she just grabbed some orange juice from the fridge and poured it into a plastic cup.

Sesshomaru noticed the glare he was receiving from Buffy; he returned it over the mug. If that tiny thing of a slayer thought that she could intimidate him, she had another think coming.

He returned to the book he got from the den. He found it on the bookshelf Xander had built in there. The writing that wove a tale of wonder and enlightenment at the same time impressed Sesshomaru. H. G. Wells obviously had a knack for authoring, and of the five books he had written in the last eight hours, _War of the Worlds _was his favorite by far.

"Morning people," Willow sang as she came in from the den. "I see everyone wanted an early start. Hey, Buffy, didn't you want to pick up Dawn today?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to grab something to eat and go. Want to come with me?"

"Sure! Hey, Kagome. Do you want to come with us to see L.A.? It'll be fun; we could even go shopping afterwards."

"Definitely." The young priestess was eager to be able to do some normal teenage girl activities since she used to be stuck in the feudal era most of the time.

"Hey, anyone who wants to come with meet me outside, okay?" Buffy grabbed a scone from the basket on the island counter and walked out. Willow, Kagome, Rin, Shippo, and Jaken (only because Sesshomaru would kick his scaly a-double-s if he didn't watch over Rin) followed her.

"You know what. Since they're all going to the city, if anyone wants a tour of Sunnydale before the Grand Re-opening today, just come with Oz and I in a few minutes. We'll give you a taste of the good old Hellmouth, Hellmouth-free or your money back."

Sango giggled and Miroku chuckled lightly. InuYasha snorted and grinned. Sesshomaru restrained himself from rolling his eyes and just thought, "Ridiculous human."

A/N: Listen, since I have a huge problem with updating, how about this: I'll try to write a little bit each day and update when I'm done with the chapter. That way the chapters will come out faster and better. Is that all right? Okay. Well, I'm off to watch Naruto on Youtube! lol Later!


	10. The Antagonist

A/N: I'm sorry I'm updating later than I expected. My computer's being retarded and won't let me log in. . . . Well, that and a serious case of writer's block. But at least now I can give you this chapter after such a long time of torture.

By the way, I'm introducing my OC-Bad-Guy in this chapter. Hope you like it.

­­­­­­­­­­­­

Buffy drove steadily for once, though her hands gripped the steering wheel _very _tightly. Willow and the other girls were laughing about some joke as Buffy thought to herself. Now that Sesshomaru was living in the house freely, she was going to have to be careful about patrol; he was probably going to follow her everywhere at night to learn more about slayers. The same went for Faith because she came back to Sunnydale with the rest of the gang. The construction workers rebuilt the apartment that the Mayor Wilkins gave her (Season Three, "Dopplegangland").

Buffy had called Faith before she started the car and now she was driving on the highway. It was only an hour's drive to Angel's place. Soon, she'd be able to see her sister again and her new friends could meet her.

Buffy knew that calling Giles would worry him extremely, and with running the Slayer School in England for the past two years he already had enough to worry about. She knew the British ex-Watcher wouldn't blow a gasket if the peace was disturbed by an arrogant demon from the past who was a know-it-all seeking power (been there, done that), but he would be plenty annoyed. Giles was always saying that demons from the Feudal Era were slightly more powerful than the normal demons in Sunnydale, and royal ones even more so.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Sunnydale, down in the former Hellmouth, a seemingly ordinary-looking man was carrying a heavy-looking messenger bag through the halls of the newly built Sunnydale High (version three) like it was as light as a feather. He had shaggy, cover-his-eyes dirty-blonde hair and was wearing sunglasses to cover his hazel eyes. Our mystery man was wearing one of those loose button up, cotton blue-green plaid shirts, but somehow it looked hot on him. The man was wearing the new Gap men's version of the tan boyfriend khaki pants. He was Caucasian-fineness! To say he was gorgeous would be the understatement of the millennium.

But, our could-be underwear model had a fatal drawback: he was evil to the core. His name was Kyle and he was the younger brother of Caleb, the "pretend-priest" Buffy had to fight two years ago the save Sunnydale (Season Seven, of course). And Kyle just so happened to be looking for vengeance.

Kyle happened to be a well-practiced warlock with martial arts moves to spare. He'd fought against two Slayers prier to moving to Sunnydale, just like Spike. And, also like Spike, he'd killed each one.

Sure, when it came to his exuding hotness, he knew how to use it. Oh man, did he know. Whenever Kyle needed to get information from women, he charmed them to the point where they felt like jelly. And when he needed information from guys, his darker half showed itself, but only when it was absolutely necessary. I guess you could say he was the best negotiator around.

And now, here he was, in Sunnydale carrying a sack full of potions, wishbones and other magical junk (A/N: My thoughts, not his.) to his cave/slash lab under the new high school. UM-WW (A/N: Underwear Model-We Wish.) had built the lab about half a year ago under the guise of night. No one knew he was there, and when the school was open to the students, he would act as a teacher there to make his trips there less suspicious.

As Kyle descended the steps that he had carved that led from the basement to the lab, he smirked to himself. After all these months his plan would hit the Summers Slayer full force and knock her off her pedestal for good.

. . . To Be Continued

A/N: So, how'd you peoples like my intro to Buffy's antagonist? In my next chapter, we'll get inside our Sexy Bad Guy's head and find out the first part his plans to destroy Buffy. Also, Dawn, Faith, Angel and Cordelia will join the party and Sesshomaru'll do some Secret-Agent-Man investigating.

Laterness!


	11. Curiosity Killed the Sesshomaru

**Curiosity Killed the Sesshomaru**

Sesshomaru opened the door to Buffy's room without a single squeak. Since stealth was one of the most emphasized points in his training, this was an easy feat. Sesshomaru observed the area for traps the blonde Slayer could've set up in case of intruders. Once he deemed the area secure, he walked inside and closed the door, quietly, behind him.

"Based on what the priestess said a normal bedroom in this time period looks like, Buffy's room seems to fit the mold," Sesshomaru said quietly to himself.

Buffy's room had light blue walls with no wallpaper. There was a queen-sized bed with a comforter that had a dark-green-and-white plaid pattern on it. The comfortable-looking bed had two medium-sized pillows with white pillowcases adorning it.

The tall window had drapes that matched the comforter perfectly. Next to the window was a door, slightly ajar, that Sesshomaru was certain lead to a walk-in closet piled high with as many shoes, clothing, and accessories as the Blonde Slayer could buy.

'So, this is what a normal girl's looks like. It seems that human and demon women do have something in common. Perfectly manicured rooms filled to the brim with materialistic treasures that do not truly do any good,' Sesshomaru pondered.

He stalked silently to the dresser. His eyes searched the dresser for unknown objects of interest. Suddenly, his gaze found a blue book lying innocently towards the edge.

"What have we here," Sesshomaru thought out loud. The house was empty; there was no need to be silent. "Somehow, this bodes familiar."

_Kagome rummaged her bag for a new object of study. Ever since her wish had granted the Sessho-tachi everlasting access to the future, Kagome felt it was her sole duty to teach them of future customs. And she only had a month to do so._

_"This here is a pen. It's a writing utensil used in my time."_

_Without a moment's notice, the pen vanished from her grasp. As her eyes adjusted in shock, she saw Sesshomaru turning the pen this way and that, examining the contraption while Rin and Jaken watched in fascination._

_"Where is the ink stored for this?" Sesshomaru's normally velvety _(inspired by 'Twilight')_, but stoic, voice now dripped with carefully concealed eagerness. _

_"There is a storage system inside it. All you have to do is start writing. Also," Kagome took out a number 2 pencil. "This is a pencil. It's made of wood and works almost the same way as a pen, only it uses graphite, a type of metal, to write. It used to use __**lead**__, but then, when the people who made pencils finally realized that they were killing the school kids, they stopped."_

_Sesshomaru gently raised his, naturally, perfect eyebrow. 'She's enjoying her rant, isn't she? Ah well, it'd be a shame to rip her from her joy, now wouldn't it?'_

_Suddenly, his eyes lowered back to her bag. A pale yellow, hardcover book was sticking out from the opening of the pouch. Without warning, and with lightning speed, the book was taken into Sesshomaru's custody._

_"NO~!" Kagome jumped up and tried to seize the book from its captor. Because he had the advantage in height, he was able to easily able to hold it high above her head. Sesshomaru's eyes flicked across the page as Kagome's desperate attempts failed her miserably. Rin and Jaken were jumping as well to catch the words on the page._

_"No. Sesshomaru, you don't understand. That's my diary!"_

_Sesshomaru paused at this, his brow rising again, this time in confusion. "Diary? What is this unfamiliarity you speak of?"_

_"A diary is a personal journal that someone writes in so that they can convey their personal thoughts without sharing them with anyone else. Unless permission is granted, no one else but the author can read it!"_

_Wanting to keep his honor intact, Sesshomaru closed the book with his finger and handed it back to the waiting hands of its rightful owner. "If this is true," he folded his arms, letting his kimono sleeves dangling and covering his hands, "I shall not read another word."_

_Exhaling a sigh of relief, Kagome hugged the book to her chest before putting it back in her bag. "Thank you."_

Sesshomaru brought himself back to the present as his refocused on the cause of his flashback. He thought to himself for a moment, his face not betraying any of his thoughts. Suddenly, his full lips curved up into a mischievous, malicious, immeasurably beautiful smirk.

"Technically, I only swore allegiance to the priestess. The Slayer, however, has not won my loyalty, yet. Besides, this may be the tool to discovering why the demonic numbers have depleted so much."

His grin widening with every step closer, his hand reached for the book with unforgivable curiosity.

"Let the games begin."

* * *

A/N: For those of you who'd love to gripe at me over and over again about how this is the first update in over a year, all I have to say about that is, "Don't. Just don't."

::cough cough Hailstar cough cough::

Shout out to ZipporahssBird, my longtime, real-life friend, who helped me finish this chapter. You all have her to thank for forcing me to get it together and speed this up. With her help, more updates will be coming your way soon. Hopefully. Snaps for Zippy!

Byeness.


	12. Anticipation Mounting

A/N: My twin from another mother had me wait till I wrote some more to update. Actually, I started this chapter the second I finished the last one. She. Forced. Me. ::twitch twitch:: Help. ::meep meep::

**Crossed Paths Chapter Eleven:**

**Anticipation Mounting**

The wind brushing through her hair as the top of the car went down, Buffy soaked in the Californian air, her cargo chatting lively next to and behind her. Now that her Pain-in-her-neck new guest was miles away, she felt free to be loose and happy. She didn't have to feel guarded against anyone. She hadn't felt this relieved since the Hellmouth was first destroyed two years ago.

"So, Buffy," Kagome began, wanting to include Buffy in the conversation, "When was the last time you saw your sister?"

Buffy winced, 'Ouch,' she thought. 'Ah well, I had it coming.'

"I haven't seen Dawn in five months. The last time we all went to L.A. to see her, she wanted to help teach at the Slayer Academy. Giles didn't mind watching over her for a while, but no way was I going to let her go all the way to England all by herself without a pressing situation. We had a big fight, and. . . . For the first three months, I tried to call and apologize, but she wouldn't answer. I stopped calling hoping that by giving her some space, she'd have some time to cool down. Let's hope she actually talks to me when we get there."

Kagome didn't let her smile falter. "I'm sure she's not mad at you anymore. From what I know, she won't it against you forever. She'll come around. You only wanted to protect her."

Buffy smiled despite herself. 'My, aren't we the optimistic one?' Her smile grew more hopeful as she passed the sign welcoming all to Los Angeles "Well, there's only one way to find out."

*****

". . . And here we have City Hall. We tried to make it nice and welcoming, but after Mayor Wilkins 'quit' the job, it was hard finding someone willing to take his place. At least we managed to find someone with brains and normality that wanted to 'correct the corruptness of Sunnydale' so much that he took the job without hassle."

Xander was taking his temporary "Tour Guide" responsibility pretty seriously. Decked out in full "Sunnydale Tour '09" gear, including t-shirt and visor, he zealously led the remains of the Inu-and-Sessho-Gangs throughout the town.

Sango couldn't take her eyes off Xander. For some reason, whenever she looked at him, something just didn't fit. Something was wrong here.

She leaned over to Miroku, who was for once keeping his hands to himself, genuinely interested in their new surroundings. She whispered in his ear, trying not the gain the object of her confusion's attention.

"Why is he wearing those odd dressings out here? Even the locals are giving him strange looks."

And, sure enough, the few Sunnydalians that returned to town early were staring at the Great Goofball of California.

Miroku chuckled to himself. "It seems he is merely overexcited to show everyone the accomplishments he helped fulfill. Willow told me earlier that not many people take him seriously because of his . . .well, comedic nature. Just let him have this one."

Sango shrugged. "Alright, I won't tell him if you won't."

"And, over here," Xander continued with a booming voice, "is Sunnydale High School. You guys would be surprised to know that in the past nine years, this school has been blown up and rebuilt three times! Hopefully, if the Hellmouth is really gone, we won't have to worry about shoveling out more money to rebuild it a third time."

Xander stopped so suddenly that Sango almost walked into his back. Fortunately, Miroku halted her progress in the knick of time by grabbing her by the waist and pulling her towards him. Seeing the vein starting to pop in her temple, he slowly backed away and raised his hands in surrender. Accepting his defeat, Sango turned back at Xander, tilting her head in confusion.

"Why the sudden stop, Xander. Is there something wrong?"

Xander shook himself to the present and composed himself again. "Nope," he came his carefree reply. "I thought I saw a guy trespassing on school property, but he was wearing a construction uniform. He was probably just going to see if everything was the way it was supposed to be."

With his suspicion obliterated, Xander all but skipped towards the Sunnydale Mall, their next stop on the tour. Sango and Miroku, however, where not so appeased. As they followed their hyper tour guide, they kept their eyes on the now mysterious high school building.


	13. Further Into the Villian Pt 1

A/N: I'm going to try my hardest to type up these chapters the second I'm done with the ones before them. That should help me update faster. Yup, that's right; I'm taking my would-be twin's advice. For now. Lol. But, yeah, a little bit each day ought to help me get the job done. I hope.

Zippy: No, it will work! If you know what's good for you, D-chan. :: insert sinister smile and gleaming-anime-eyes here::

Sesshomaru: Would you like me to escort this brute off the premises?

Zippy: If you do, I'll get you in your sleep, with no one to help you… right D-chan? I love you!

SQ: (muffled) No you don't, you vicious liar! (Out loud) I love you, too, Zippy! :: Nervously smiling with anime sweat drops pouring down side of face. Leans towards Sesshomaru and whispers:: Please, please. _**NOW!**_

Sesshomaru: Wait a moment. I have now become intrigued. I wish to see how this plays out. :: somehow finds a way to grin both sinisterly and serenely, severely pissing off SQ in the process::

SQ: Bad Guard Dog.

:: Sesshomaru turns an attractive shade of red in anger and tries to promptly control his sudden burst of indignation.::

Zippy: You don't want to kick me out D-chan, besides if you don't type these chapters with my method your fans will notice and I'm not going to be the only one who wants you dead.

SQ: O.o . . . Ooookay, then. On with the fanfic!

**Chapter Twelve:**

**Further Into the Villain's Mind Pt. 1**

*****

' . . . that cut straight through him in one swing! Just think; if this axe can cut through _**Caleb**_ of all people, think of what it could do to the army of Super-Vamps the First has under its belt. I could just see the look on its face. Lol. It'll feel like it just got b***h-slapped in the face!"

Sesshomaru chuckled. Buffy had a . . .. _interesting_ (to say the least) perspective on things. Throughout the course of a few hours, he had passed the time reading seven years worth of history through the eyes of the Blonde Slayer [Sesshomaru is awesome at many things, but (especially) at reading very fast he is an undefeatable beast. 'Nough said. XD]. He recounted stories of vampires attempting to brake from the prison of the sacred underground to vampires regaining their souls and losing them again to mutes stealing the hearts of innocents and so on.

'Her life hasn't had a single peaceful moment since her mother relocated her." Sesshomaru, with one last sweeping glance around the room, left to reenter the confines of his own guest room. He sprawled out on his king-sized bed and sifting through the new information he'd just acquired.

'So, this new Slayer Academy has separated this group both physically and emotionally. Giles, Faith and Kennedy moved to England to help out with the Academy, while Dawn was forced to send tips from afar. Buffy's father is now aware of Buffy's job and is sending financial help to the school.'

Sesshomaru unbuttoned his over shirt and opened the window to let some fresh air in. He sat back down and pulled his hair into a high ponytail. He sighed and opened the laptop he bought while they were still in Japan.

_'This is the music section. People record their songs on compact discs, also called cds, and sell them to their loyal fans.'_

_Kagome was at the Best Buy in Akihabara, Tokyo. Kagome thought it was necessary to get everyone cell phones so they could easily contact each other if needed. Sesshomaru saw the laptops out of the corner of his eyes, and, as usual, let his curiosity get the better of him. (_A/N: Curiosity killed the Inu, Sesshy!_)_

_'What are these contraptions?' Sesshomaru read the banner above the isle. 'Computers? I do not compute.'_

_Kagome smacked her hand against her head. 'What am I going to _do _with this guy?' she thought. Walking up to him, she explained, 'And this is the computer section. Computers are devices that allow for easy communication and access to information previously unavailable. You can also save documents on them and store them for later. They can locate, store and play music, videos and games as well.'_

_'And how do they retrieve this information that is so forbidden and desirable?'_

_'They enter what's called the 'World Wide Web.''_

_'YOU MEAN SOME SPIDER ACTUALLY SPUN A WEB AROUND THE ENTIRE FREAKING WORLD?'_

_Kagome jumped and Sesshomaru managed to raise his eyebrow and shake his head and still look serious._

_'No, InuYasha,' Kagome chided after she calmed her rampaging heart. 'It's a metaphor. The 'Web' is a web connecting different computer networks together so that people can contact others and find the information they need. Most people just call it the 'Internet.''_

_InuYasha, Sango, Rin, Shippo, and Jaken all looked at each other with the same confused look on their faces. Shippo and Rin even tipped their heads in the most adorable ways! But, Miroku and Sesshomaru both seemed to get it easily; they looked at each other with looks that combined mild bemusement, understanding, and awe._

_'So, all computers are connected to each other by this 'Internet?'' Miroku confirmed._

_'Yup.'_

_'Intriguing.' Sesshomaru stepped up to the laptops and studied the two of them closely. 'One of these calls itself a 'Mac Book,' and the other calls itself a 'PC.' What may I ask is the difference?'_

_'A PC's older than a Mac. It's mostly used for business and basic functions, like music, video, pictures and written documents. And, it has Internet access. A Mac, however, is newer, faster, and more popular. It does all the same things that a PC does, but its graphics are a lot better than a PC's. A lot of artists who use computers for their work choose Macs. But, Macs cost a lot more money.'_

_Sesshomaru waved his hand in dismissal. 'Money is no object here.' He pulled out his newly acquired wallet and pulled out 350,000 yen (about $3,500). 'Will this cover the Mac Book and my cell phone bill?'_

_Before they all left the past after getting all their supplies and clothes, Sesshomaru flew back to the Western Lands to get some of his money. When they went to the bank to convert the old coins into yen to be spent, the lady behind the counter almost had a heart attack. The gold that the beautiful man had given her was easily worth 10,000 times the amount it would've been worth in that era! Sesshomaru left with a new bank account filled with enough yen to feed South Africa and a smug grin on his face._

_Kagome looked at the money with longing. 'That ought to do it.'_

_Sesshomaru bought his shiny new Mac, Palm Pilot, and everyone else's supplies (including a few video games for Shippo and Rin) in a rare show of pride and kindness._

He powered up his Mac Book and connected it to the Web. He visited and requested that a book he'd been looking at for the past couple of days be delivered to him.

A knock shocked him slightly out of his thoughts.

"Lord Sesshomaru? We're back!" came the childlike voice of his adopted daughter.

"I will only be but a moment, Rin. There is some business of which I wish to complete first."

*****

"Hey, sis! How've you been?" Buffy couldn't believe how nervous she was seeing her sister for the first time in three months. She thought Dawn would never forgive her for trying to keep her safe instead of letting her join the staff for the Slayer Academy. However, here Dawn was, waiting anxiously for her sister with open arms and a wide, Cheshire-Cat-smile.

"Buffy! I missed you so much!" Dawn hopped up from the couch she was watching Code Geass on. She gave her sister a Big Ole Bear Hug that, had Buffy not been a Slayer, would have given her older sister tons of bruises the next morning. Kagome and Willow snuck knowing glances at each other.

Dawn had grown subtly in the last few months. Her hair had grown slightly longer and Dawn died the ends of her hair navy, a feat her older sister wouldn't have allowed had she been there. She was less pale than she was at the beginning of the summer; she probably went to the beach with Oz and Cordelia a lot. Buffy also noticed that her baby sister's lips were more shiny and red than they should have been.

"Dawn, have you been wearing make-up? You know what happened last time!"

Dawn's eyes went wide as she wiped the lip-gloss off her face. She didn't need a reminder of four years ago. A Chameleon Demon named Akina had been attracted to her because her made-up lips reminded him of his deceased girlfriend's own berry-red ones. He didn't leave her alone for a whole week until Willow performed a spell that acted as a magical restaining order.

"It's just a little lip-gloss! I'm 19; I think I can handle the repercussions. But, it's great that you still feel the need to be a Hover-Sis. I think I miss that the most."

Kagome tried to smother her snickers behind her hand. Dawn heard the sound and turned her head to welcome the newcomer.

"Hi. You must be Kagome. When Willow told us she had a cousin who was a priestess from Japan, I pictured you a little differently. You know: the white and red outfit with the hair tied back and a bow and arrow in hand. So on and so on."

Kagome pictured the undead priestess, Kikyo, with Dawn's vivid imagery. Said priestess was now back in her grave where she was laid to rest a second time, her mission fulfilled. Willow's response brought her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah, Kagome sure breaks that mold, doesn't she?"

As Willow and Dawn shared a quick laugh (Buffy tried to be more subtle by turning her head and snickering at the doorway), Kagome looked down at her ensemble. Today, she was wearing black skinny jeans, a white tank top with ruffles leading from under the bust to the bottom (form-fitting, might I add) , and a pinstripe, menswear vest worn open. From her neck hung two necklaces, one golden with a cross pendant and the other a silver chain with a colorful Hello Kitty pendant. She looked back up and blinked twice in confusion.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Nothing."

Because they answered simultaneously and with mock-innocence smiles on their faces, this reaction stimulated Kagome's transition from confusion to suspicious.

"Anyway, Dawn, are you ready to go?"

"Totally! Let me just grab my bags."

As Dawn scrambled to get her bags from her guest room, Angel got up from the couch. It was the first time in a long while that Buffy'd seen him in person. He was still the pale, polished-yet-casual guy she remembered, and he still sent butterflies amok in her stomach when he was near. However, her heart belonged to someone else.

This morning, the lines in his forehead were creased in a worrisome way. There was info to be conveyed, yet he didn't know how to convey it.

"Spit it out," she said, impatient already.

"I got a message from Giles at the Academy last night. You're not going to believe this."

A/N: I know, I know. I haven't updated in months, and now I've updated twice in one night? OMG! Lol. Well, I'm going to start mapping out my next chapter right after this, so hopefully I'll update within the next two weeks (I have to practice for the SATs in October. And the ACT. And get a summer job.)


End file.
